GSA earmarks $88 million to boost energy efficiency and sustainability at 18 federal buildings in Denver
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Robin Carnahan joined other leaders at the Denver Federal Center to announce an $88 million investment, partially funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, to make 18 federal buildings in the Denver area more sustainable as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. Through an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC), GSA plans to upgrade building infrastructure and install new technologies that will reduce energy consumption and costs, while also cutting dangerous climate pollution and creating hundreds of local jobs annually. The project is slated to include the installation of high-efficiency ground source heat pumps, solar panels, and heating and cooling system upgrades, and the buildings will meet the White House’s Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings (PDF).
GSA says the Biden-Harris Administration is leading by example to tackle the climate crisis through President Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan. These efforts are a part of the Administration’s Climate Smart Buildings Initiative and will help GSA on its ambitious path to achieve net-zero emissions from federal buildings by 2045.
These investments are a prime example of how President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is a triple-win: we’re creating good jobs, saving taxpayer dollars through energy efficiency, and ensuring a healthier, brighter future for our communities and our kids. We look forward to working with industry and other stakeholders as we maximize the impact of these investments.
GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan
Ameresco was selected as the energy service company to identify the potential investments, which are estimated to save over $2 million per year at today’s energy prices and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 29,000 metric tons of CO2e per year. The improvements are projected to reduce natural gas usage by 90 percent, cut grid-purchased energy by 75 percent, lessen water use by 29 percent, and include infrastructure to provide year-round electric heating and cooling and replace fossil fuel fired equipment.
This project is one of many supported by the Inflation Reduction Act, touted as the largest investment in climate action in history. The law provided $3.4 billion to GSA for emerging and sustainable technologies, low-embodied carbon construction materials, and other measures to improve the sustainability of the federal footprint.
We are honored to be chosen for this vital project alongside GSA, as it exemplifies the federal government’s commitment to lead the way in advancing electrification and clean energy adoption. This installation presents a remarkable opportunity to enhance facility infrastructure and decarbonize federal buildings with renewable technologies such as solar PV and geothermal, a significant step toward the achievement of the Administration’s ambitious clean energy goals.
Nicole Bulgarino, executive vice president, Ameresco
GSA estimates that the $3.4 billion in investments from the Inflation Reduction Act will create over 9,500 annual jobs nationwide for the duration of these projects, support $2.8 billion in labor income, and generate nearly $1 billion in tax revenue for federal, state, and local governments. In total, these investments from GSA are expected to avoid more than 2.3 million metric tons of emissions and create $474 million in utility cost avoidance over the next two decades.
President Biden has charged the federal government to lead by example by cutting dangerous climate pollution and sustainably managing its footprint of over 300,000 buildings, over 600,000 vehicles, and $630 billion spent annually on goods and services. On December 8, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14057 and issued his Federal Sustainability Plan, which directs the federal government to achieve net zero emissions operations by 2050 by transitioning federal infrastructure to zero-emission vehicles and energy-efficient buildings, powered by carbon pollution-free electricity.
Read more about the Inflation Reduction Act’s impact on delivering clean energy in Colorado (PDF).